(CNN) - President Barack Obama quickly struck out at Mitt Romney's foreign policy inexperience during Monday's presidential debate, with the Republican nominee defending his positions and promoting what he described as a thoughtful and comprehensive strategy to combat extremism.

The third and final face-to-face showdown occurred with the candidates neck-and-neck in national polls with 15 days until Election Day, and the race hinging on a handful of battleground states - particularly Ohio, Florida and Virginia.

soundoff(79 Responses)

God bless America. Take out God please. Democratic national committee. Remember? Romney may be big money and business. But Obama is radical fundamentalist socialist. Look at his past and his current supporters. When we all live on the collective we will be on the same level. So much to redistribute. He will not need 4 more years.
I would rather be in a free market. Obama has already said that it does not work. Open your eyes and ears.

October 22, 2012 11:13 pm at 11:13 pm |

Carmella

Justeeny, I am glad you have decided. My biggest concern if we have a foreign policy crisis it will strongly impact our economy. I don't think anyone has all the answers. At the end of the day, someone has to pay to get the deficit down.I wish we had a strong 3rd party candidate.

Romney believes in the same economic vision for America that President Bush did: Rich need more tax relief, while middle-class and poor must pay more taxes. Whether this plan works or not has already been proven over and over again, with Reagan, and more recently with Bush. The alarming transformation by George Bush, of President Clinton's robust surplus into a job-crushing depression is not very long ago. Clinton amassed his surplus by giving tax relief to the middle-class and the poor; and using common sense to know that millionaires and billionaires will not die of starvation if they don't receive tax help from the government. Obama, just like Clinton, believes that when the middle-class and poor are suffering, they are the ones who should receive the relief, not those who are already rich.

Much of Obama's first term has been about stopping the downward tailspin of the U.S. economy. And this has been a Herculean task considering the damage that Bush policies (now Romney's) did to the economy.

Romney has said in his own words that he didn't care about 47% of the population. He said this to his rich donors who believe they, not the struggling middle-class, need more tax relief. If he told them this, one question begs to be answered: Who does Mit Romney care about? Who will he fight for when he comes into office? We know he won't fight for us, being the 47%, so that leaves the rich donors to whom he declared his disdain, and intolerance for the 47%. Yes, Romney's biggest best kept secret is that he will be a president for the rich and affable.

The difference between Obama and Romney is Obama cares about all 100% of the U.S., while Romney cares about the rich... This is a strong indictment, but based upon all the evidence put forth, it is the absolute truth.

October 22, 2012 11:22 pm at 11:22 pm |

Sam

How many people responding to this thread are doing it on a computer made in China?

October 22, 2012 11:22 pm at 11:22 pm |

rs

Absolutely amazing performance by Mr. Romney. Who would believe he is now the Democratic candidate for the Presidency!?

Alright, alright- he just AFFIRMED everything Mr. Obama has done in foreign affairs for four years and offered NO Alternatives.

I feel for the GOP, really. Their candidate stands for nothing at all but the desire or the ability to parrot what he thinks his audience wants to hear. The ultimate coward and fool all roled into one.

Great job mr president. It took a while, but it was clear tonight who has more interest to take this country foreword. I have been undecided until tonight, I will be voting Obama 2012.

October 22, 2012 11:25 pm at 11:25 pm |

carey

Romney said, "Syria is Iran's gateway to the sea." He needs a map..

October 22, 2012 11:26 pm at 11:26 pm |

Dennis

Mine is made in Taiwan,Does that count?..At least it's not the same China Romney has invested in.

October 22, 2012 11:26 pm at 11:26 pm |

joe

the president took command tonight. Romney had memorized some names but clearly did not know what he was talking about. He also changed his tune from the last debate and is now agreeing with the president on many issues. I don't want the flip flopper setting foreign policy for America. The president is right this is not a game of battle ship and romney has no clue what his statement sound like to the rest of the world. He will set policy back at least to the 1980;s Forward. Good job Mr. President.

October 22, 2012 11:27 pm at 11:27 pm |

rs

BTW- Mr. Romney- Iran and Syria share NO borders, and Iran has its own access to the sea, so whatever that pathetic attempt to explain your position on Iran is, was, or may be come, you lost- big time.

October 22, 2012 11:27 pm at 11:27 pm |

becky

Because President Obama does not agree with you, Steve, does not make him a "radical fundamentalist socialist' any more than Mr. Romney's big push to the right makes him ultraconservative. Perhaps you have a misunderstanding of the terminology and exactly what it means.

Perhaps you are prepared to enter some more wars next year. Perhaps you are willing to join the military yourself. I, for one, am not willing to send another member of the military into another country unless we have a clear picture of what we will accomplish. Unfortunately, we went into Iraq and Afghanistan and are still there years and years later. The reasons were not clear and we were fooled into believing we had wmd. I think you, sir, need to open your eyes. No one is saying we need to change the way we do business. It would be good it we could throw out labels and talk about the real problems in the world.

October 22, 2012 11:28 pm at 11:28 pm |

Jen

Obama did a great job!! Romney couldn't give an answer except agreeing with the president. You really want Romney in the white house. Please people make the right choice. I already did!!!

October 22, 2012 11:29 pm at 11:29 pm |

The fact is

Romney was sweating. Why is that?

October 22, 2012 11:30 pm at 11:30 pm |

Veteran2012

Am i missing something here? Did these liberal commentators see the same debate we did? Romney was presidential and obama was shrill and petty......Huge victory for Romney

October 22, 2012 11:30 pm at 11:30 pm |

Fred

Romney was more presidential compared to the other guy who looked like a waggling puppet repeating much of the same while ignoring his economical mess.

Again, no specifics from Romney, changed positions on policy, untruthful statements and lack of clear support for the majority of Americans! Obama has in place a strong foundation for domestic growth, future prosperity, international strength and the security of our country. The future of our country and our children can only be entrusted to President Obama.

October 22, 2012 11:33 pm at 11:33 pm |

BarackOblinka

Hows that feverish,nervous Blinking that Obama is displaying while listening to Romney.Is it a nervous twitch or some side effects of the sedatives that he was shot up with prior to the debate to calm his nerves? Unacceptable behavior for a tenured commander in chief, and it exposes how gutless he really is under pressure. FAIL!

October 22, 2012 11:35 pm at 11:35 pm |

the situation

Fred
Romney was more presidential compared to the other guy who looked like a waggling puppet repeating much of the same while ignoring his economical mess.

October 22, 2012 11:31 pm at 11:31 pm

Didn't know that this was a debate on the economy???? It was a debate on foreign policy and clearly Mitts wasn't up to par with the president.

October 22, 2012 11:36 pm at 11:36 pm |

sandra

My mind was made up before this debate Thank you. Why don't you all are trying to put the President down?

October 22, 2012 11:37 pm at 11:37 pm |

Carmella

The political pundits crack me up. Everyone sees the debates through their own prism. If you are a liberal you have positives for the President. If you are conservative you say Govemor Romney was more favorable. One thing for sure you better make sure you vote for someone who is decisive. One of the most critical roles of a President is the ability to make a desicion and stand by it. You won't have time to change your mind in mid air.

October 22, 2012 11:38 pm at 11:38 pm |

ktuncia

CNN says this debate scores just about like the second. The second one being of course the one after which we saw yet another couple of points rise in the polls for Romney. You can say what you want but but a couple more points for Romney's expanding lead does not equal a win for Obama. Never has and never will.

October 22, 2012 11:38 pm at 11:38 pm |

Marti Brae

I am so deeply ashamed of Obama and his tack on Libya. It's obvious as was proven so far in the oversight committee's hearing, that this is a coverup. I hope it comes out more clearly, if only the news would honestly report it. Never expect that from CNN, but perhaps there is one brave reporter who has a soul.